Car-fender.



No. 678,975. Patented July 23, |90I. R. F. PREUSSER.

GAR FENDER.

(Application led May 10, 1901..)

(No Modal.)

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SHQ: 11ml UNITED STATES PATENT Fricn.

RICHARDF. PREUSSER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF OOLMBIA.

CAR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,975, dated July 23, 1901.

Application led May 10, 1901. Serial No. 59,686. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RICHARD F. PREUssER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington,in the District of Columbia, have invent-ed certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use same.

My present invention relates to car-fenders; and the aim and purpose of the same is to provide means or mechanism operated from some appropriate part of the car for positively projecting the fender in emergency cases into such proximity to the road-bed as to pick up any object it may encounter, and thus be thoroughly effective in saving life and limb.

To these and other ends hereinafter stated the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and

scope of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of the front platform of a car equipped with fender-projecting mechanism designed in accordance with my invention, showing the same in its relation to the fender. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rock-shaft or main actuating member detached, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cams.

While the present invention is applicable to numerous fenders now in use, I have chosen to illustrate the same in connection with the fender described in my allowed application, Serial No. 53,272, led March 28, 1901.

Having reference tothe drawings, a represent hangers which support the fender A, and these are secured in any appropriate manner to the car structure. The hangers are each provided with a swinging or hinged member b. Said hinged members b are served with a tongue c and with an overhanging lug or extension CZ, the two together defining a longitudinally ranging-slot, which is slightly inclined forward and constitutes an interlocking or coupling member for the fender-arms e. Each tongue c terminates in a nose or A the hanger, and thus limits the forward movement of said member b. As a further means of limiting the movement of said hinged member and also to strengthen the hangers, I provide the cross bar or plate g. Said hinged or swinging member b is normally solicited' against said plate g by a flat spring or its equivalent h, which spring is secured upon the block i by a screw-bolt j. 1t will thus be apparent that when pressure is applied to the scoop, as when an object is struck, the hinged members l), inasmuch as they have a circumscribed arc of movement rearwardly, will be cushioned upon the springs h, and the force of the blow will be appreciably lessened. The fender is suspended by chains lo from the pivotal brackets Z. Journaled in hangers 2, secured to the under side of the car floor, is a transverse shaft 1, which carries two cams 3, inclined downwardly and forward toward the front of the fender. Said cams are provided with a track or groove 4, which is larger at the top than at the bottom,and said enlarged portion is penetrated by a pin 5, which serves to secure one end of a chain 6, the opposite end of the chain connecting with a lug m, extending rearwardly of each coupling member. The shaft 1 is secured by end nuts or collars 7 and is adapted to be rocked by an arm 8, secured thereon and the free end of which is provided with a slot 9, in which works the lower end of a foot-lever 10, the upper end of which projects above the lioor of the car adjacent to the dashboard, and having a head 11 by which the lever may be depressed. The opening 12, through which` the lever passes, is of large diameter to permit freedom of movement of said lever, the latter being guided in a plate 13. The device is now in condition for use, and to project the fender downward when it is desired to pick up an object on the track it will only be necessary to press down on the foot-lever, thereby to rock the shaft l and through the reverse.

movement of the cams 3 to draw upon the chains 6, and thus project the fender down- Ward with great rapidity. The fender is locked in this position so long as the footlever is held depressed by the nose or projection on each coupling member bearing against the respective fender-arms.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains that modifications may be made in detail Without departing` from the spirit and scope of the same. Hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts hereinabove referred to, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; but,

Having thus described the nature and objects of the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a car-fender, of hangers provided with yieldingly-supported projections having coupling members, fender-arms capable of readily-detachable connection with said coupling members, and positively-actuated means, substantially as described, for causing said projections to move in acircumscribed arc rearwardly to project the fender.

2. The combination with a car-fender, of hangers provided with yieldingly-supported projections having coupling members, fender-arms capable of readily-detachable con- I nection with said coupling members, a cushion disposed in rear of and bearing against each projection, and positively actuated means, substantially as described, for causling said projections to move in a circumscribed arc rearwardly to project the fender.

3. The combination with a car-fender, of hangers provided With yieldingly-supported projections having coupling members, fen-- der-arms capable of readily-detachable connection with said coupling members, a cushion disposed in rear of and bearing against each projection, and positively actuated means, substantially as described, for causing said projections to move in a circumscribed arc rearwardly to project the fender, said coupling members having each a nose or projection adapted to bear against the respective fender-arms when the fender is projected and thereby to lock the same.

4. The combination with the hangers and the yieldingly-supported projections having fender -coupling members, of a rock-shaft operatively connected with said yieldinglysupported projections for moving the same rearwardly, and means for actuating said rock-shaft, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the hangers and the yieldingly-supported projections having fender-coupling members, of a rock-shaft mounted beneath the ear structure, means for actuating the same, and means connecting said rock-shaft and yieldingly-supported projections, whereby when the rock-shaft is actuated, the projections are caused to move in a circumscribed arc rearwardly, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the hangers and the yieldingly-supported projections having fender-coupling members, of a rock-shaft mounted beneath the car structure, cams mounted upon said shaft, chains connecting said cams and projections, and means for actuating the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

7 The combination with the hangers and the yieldingly-supported projections having fender-coupling members, of a rock-shaft mounted beneath the car structure, cams mounted upon said shaft, chains connecting said cams and projections, an arm on said shaft, and a foot-lever connected to said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribin g Witnesses.

RICHARD F. PREUSSER.

Witnesses:

JAS. A. RICHMOND, WALTER WILLIAMS. 

